Oct. 02–Effective Thursday, Downtown St. Joseph's longtime hotel has changed its brand.

Although officials declined to comment further, they confirmed the former Holiday Inn Riverfront Hotel, at 102 S. Third St., is under new ownership. A formal announcement is expected sometime next week, and will be accompanied by changes that will include new business signs and other updates.

The hotel lost its Holiday Inn flag in January 2003 and subsequently became known as the St. Joseph Historic District Riverfront Hotel. It regained the Holiday Inn affiliation in 2006, after undergoing a series of renovations, and was purchased by Hospitality Management Associates — which bought the establishment from Lennar Partners of Miami. Ocean Hospitalities of Portsmouth, N.H., was the hotel's management company.

The hotel opened as a Sheraton Hotel in 1984 and became a Holiday Inn in 1987. Its ownership has experienced financial difficulties over the years.

Holiday Inn had billed it to customers as the only full-service premiere in Downtown, featuring 169 rooms. St. Joseph will still have the company's presence with the 97-room Holiday Inn Express & Suites at 3600 N. Village Drive.

St. Joseph's first city hall was located near the hotel's present site.